NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
A7
Timber Unity to Oregon legislators: ‘We’re fed up’
By Sierra Dawn McClain
EO Media Group
Angelita Sanchez’s mes-
sage was loud and clear
when she spoke about the
renewed effort in the Ore-
gon Legislature to pass a
new cap-and-trade bill.
“We’re fed up,” Sanchez
said. “The Legislature is giv-
ing us a false narrative so
they can shove through a tax
scam. But there’s no more
room for these taxes. We’ve
been working, working,
working, and there’s no room
to pinch anymore. So we’re
saying enough is enough.”
Sanchez said the new leg-
islation, a similar proposal to
2019’s cap-and-trade bill, is
157 pages and counting. The
Sierra Dawn McClain/Capital Press
Angelita Sanchez of Timber
Unity speaks Wednesday at
the Northwest Agricultural
Show in Salem.
bill would limit the carbon
dioxide emissions of some
businesses in urban areas, but
rural residents say the costs
of the bill will ultimately be
passed on to them as well.
Sanchez spoke Wednes-
day at the 50th Northwest
Agricultural Show.
The Legislature’s five-
week session begins Feb. 3,
with lawmakers in the Dem-
ocratic supermajority plan-
ning to push through the
new bill.
On Feb. 6, Timber Unity
members plan to take their
complaints to the Capitol
with a truck convoy and a
protest — while also deploy-
ing semi-truck fleets to
demonstrate in Portland and
other cities the same day.
Last year’s attempt to
limit carbon dioxide emis-
sions flopped. Protesters,
most of whom were part of
Timber Unity’s movement,
rallied in Salem against the
bill. The measure provoked
a nine-day walkout by Sen-
ate Republicans in late June.
They returned two days
before the session ended. By
then, the bill was dead.
“I thought last year’s bill
was bad,” said Sanchez.
“And it was. But I think this
year’s bill may be worse.”
After 2019’s legislative
chaos, Gov. Kate Brown met
with rural residents from
across the state and listened
to their concerns. According
to Kate Kondayen, deputy
communications director for
Brown, the governor is com-
mitted to “ensure the bill
protects jobs and livelihoods
in rural communities.”
Sanchez, however, said
that although the bill may
not target rural communi-
ties initially, it has the poten-
tial to hold them under its
power later. This is because,
according to the legislation’s
text, once 19 counties have
bought into the cap-and-
trade program, the legisla-
tion will then apply to the
rest of Oregon, too.
“The reality is,” said Julie
Parrish, another spokesper-
son for Timber Unity, “the
Legislature is really saying,
‘Here’s your first bite of the
apple, then here’s your next
bite.’”
Although Timber Unity
formed in 2019 to protest
cap-and-trade legislation, the
movement has mushroomed
into something broader.
When Sanchez joined
the movement last summer,
she wanted to stand up for
her trucking business. Now,
she said, the movement runs
a political action commit-
tee and a nonprofit, teaches
people how to exercise their
political rights, is planning
new chapters in five states
and will begin endorsing
political candidates Feb. 6 at
the upcoming rally.
“Why in the circle of
life do we have to deal with
stuff like this crushing us?”
asked Phil Kuehnel, 85, a
retired salesman from Yam-
hill County. He was sport-
ing red suspenders that said
“Loggers World” — one
word per suspender. “I tell
you, it’s time we stood up.”
White tailed deer die-off reported in Blue Mountains
By Katy Nesbitt
For EO Media Group
The death of roughly 2,000
white-tailed deer in Umatilla
County is being blamed on a
virus spread by tiny gnats.
Greg Rimbach, district
biologist for the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wild-
life Pendleton field office, said
die-offs found between Mil-
ton-Freewater and Pilot Rock
due to Epizootic hemorrhagic
disease occur every couple of
years, but for the most part it
goes unnoticed.
“A die-off to this degree,
in the county at least, is very
rare and may have never hap-
pened before,” he said. “This
year was a whopper.”
In fact, Rimbach said he
is unaware of such an occur-
rence being recorded in
Oregon.
In October, Rimbach said
his office started receiving
calls from farmers and ranch-
ers reporting dead white-tailed
deer in creek bottoms and
drainages.
Rimbach and a fellow
wildlife biologist hit the field
to see what was happening.
The flat land behind Wild-
horse Resort & Casino sev-
eral miles east of Pendleton,
for example, Rimbach said,
usually is home for about 150
white tail.
“Went out there and
counted none,” he said.
If a deer has been dead just
a day or two tests are run on
organs like the heart, spleen
or abdominal cavity, but when
deer are found greatly decom-
posed he said they were able
to test femurs and humeruses
Contributed photo/ODFW
Tests conducted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
veterinarians confirmed that Epizootic hemorrhagic disease
is responsible for the die-off of an estimated 2,000 white-
tailed deer in Eastern Oregon.
to determine what disease
killed them.
Samples were sent to
ODFW’s wildlife health and
population lab in Corval-
lis, and then on to the Ore-
gon State University diagnos-
tic lab for testing. Evidence of
Epizootic hemorrhagic dis-
ease was found, a disease
spread by biting gnats that
breed in pools of stagnant
water — sometimes as small
as a hoof print.
Mule deer, Rimbach said,
are not nearly as susceptible
to hemorrhagic diseases and
have not been affected by the
outbreak, which he said could
be due to a genetic disposition.
Not all deer infected with
the virus die, Rimbach said,
but will be sick for a while,
compromising their health as
winter approaches.
White-tailed deer num-
bers are on the rise in East-
ern Oregon, but the die-off
has the state wildlife depart-
ment determining whether
to reduce the number of deer
tags or cancel hunts in the
Walla Walla, Mount Emily
and Ukiah hunting units. The
state agency reported it will
inform hunters of any changes
by April 15 so they have time
to change their controlled hunt
application choices before the
May 15 deadline.
If Rimbach does decide to
cancel some of the tags in the
Walla Walla, Mt. Emily and
Ukiah hunting units, he said
it won’t affect buck deer rifle
hunting.
Meat from game with EHD
is consumable and the disease
is not transmittable to humans,
according to the wildlife
department, but experts rec-
ommend thoroughly cooking
any meat from animals from
an infected area. Well-cooked
venison, Rimbach said, would
be just fine.
“I would eat it,” he said.
La Grande Observer Edi-
tor Phil Wright contributed to
this report.
John Day Valley
Mennonite
Church
Pastor Keith
Meeting every Sunday
at Mt. Vernon Grange Hall
Sunday School.......................9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship...10:50 a.m.
Pastor Leland Smucker
Everyone Welcome • 541-932-2861
Historic Remnant
Church
St. Thomas
Episcopal
Church
Preparing for
Jesus to come
Morning Prayer........10 am
(1 st , 3 rd , 5 th Sundays)
Eucharist & Sunday
School.............10 am
(2 nd & 4 th Sundays)
Meets Saturday at Mt. Vernon Grange
Sabbath School............................9:30 am
Church Services..........................11:00 am
139 S. Washington,
Canyon City
VICTORY BAPTIST
CHURCH
KJV
Independent
Fundamental • Premillennial
Terence K. Crabb, Pastor
A Bible-believing Church
“He that hath the Son hath life ...” I John 5:12
Sunday School 9:45 am • Sunday Preaching 11:00 am
Junior Church 11:00 am • Sunday Evenings 3:30 pm
Wednesday Bible Study & Master Club 7:00 pm
Saturday Men’ s Prayer Meeting 7:00 pm
108 S. Washington Street, Canyon City
541-575-2688 or 541-575-0844
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Catholic Church
Corner of S Canyon Blvd and SW 2 nd
Mon. - Fri. Mass - 12:05 pm
Saturday Mass - 5:00 pm
Sunday Mass - 9:00 am
Holy Days Mass: Noon & 6 pm
TV & Radio Networks
Tune into KSPL 98.1 FM
Valley View Broadcasting
PO Box 151, Mt Vernon, Or 97865
Antenna: Digital Channel 15
Blue Mountain Cable Channel 2
Redeemer
Lutheran Church
Come Worship with us at
627 SE Hillcrest, John Day
1 st Sunday Worship/Communion.......10am
3 rd Sunday Worship/Communion/Potluck...4:30pm
2 nd , 4 th & 5 th Sunday Worship ..........10 am
Wednesday Evening Bible Study.......6 pm
For information: 541-575-2348
MT. VERNON
PRESBYTERIAN
Community Church
SUNDAY SERVICE..............9 am
SUNDAY SCHOOL...............9 am
541-932-4800
EVERYONE WELCOME
CHURCH OF THE
NAZARENE
Sunday School..............................9:30 am
Sunday Worship Service..............10:45 am
Sunday Evening Service................6:00 pm
Children & Teen Activities
SMALL GROUPS CALL FOR MORE INFO
Weekdays: Sonshine Christian School
Pastor Randy Johnson
521 E. Main • John Day • 541-575-1895
wwww.johndaynazarene.com
FIRST CHRISTIAN
CHURCH
Sunday School.......................9:45 am
Sunday Worship.......................11 am
Fox Community Church..............3 pm
Sunday Evening Bible talk..........6 pm
Saturday Men’s Study................6 pm
Full Gospel- Come Grow With Us
541-575-1202 Church
311 NE Dayton St, John Day
Pastor Al Altnow
Confession: Saturday 4:00-4:45 pm
Anytime by appointment
541-974-8638
JOHN DAY
UNITED
METHODIST
CHURCH
Sunday Worship • 9AM
St. Anne
Monument -
2nd and 4th Sundays at 12:30 pm
2
Every Sunday in the L.C.
Community Center
(Corner of Second & Allen)
Contact Pastor Ed Studtmann at
541-421-3888 • Begins at 4:00pm
FIRST
BAPTIST
CHURCH
Sunday School....................... 10 am
Church....................................11 am
Afternoon Service.................... 2 pm
No Mid-week Services
Pastor Jesse Gosnell
300 W. Main, John Day
541-575-1355
Office Hours
Monday - Friday 9 am - 12 Noon
(541) 575-1326
johndayUMC@gmail.com
126 NW Canton, John Day
Food Pantry Friday 3-4p.m.
Like us on Facebook!
Cornerstone
Christian
Fellowship
139 N.E. D AYTON S TREET , J OHN D AY
541-575-2180
Sunday Worship Service 10 am
Sunday Youth Group 3 pm
Thursday Celebrate Recovery 6 pm
Pastor Levi Manitsas
cornerstonejohnday@gmail.com
ccfjd.org
Seventh-Day
Adventist
Church
SATURDAY SERVICES
JOHN DAY
110 Valley View Dr.
541-575-1216
Head Elder......................541-575-2914
Bible Classes (all ages)............9:30 am
Worship.......................................11 am
LONG CREEK
E. Main Street
541-421-3033
Head Elder............................421-3468
Bible Classes (all ages)...............2 pm
Worship........................................3 pm
S162714-1